Krishna Iyer wants a probe into former CJI Balakrishnan’s assets

Dec 28, 2010


Former Supreme Court Judge Krishna Iyer , who completed 95 years last month, wants a thorough inquiry into the allegations claimed by a local Malayalam news channel, Asianet in to the assets of former CJI K.G Balakrishnan .

Asianet News had reported that Balakrishnan's son-in-law, PV Sreenijan, had amassed crores of rupees in the past four years. As a Congress candidate from the Njarackkal assembly constituency, Sreenijan in the 2006 had declared just Rs 25,000 in his bank and no land but later went on to amass property worth at least Rs 7 crore in the past four years.

Speaking at a press conference Justice Iyer said, “I myself feel sad that I was a judge. I used to say that an era had begun when K G Balakrishnan became the first Dalit chief justice. Now, I don’t feel that way”.


“The Press has disclosed now that the son-in-law and daughter have amassed wealth under suspicious circumstances indirectly due to dubious linkage with the Chief Justice. This is atrocious and must be inquired,” said Justice Krishna Iyer.

Deccan Herald has reported the growth in Sreenijan’s assets over the last four years. Sreenijan had declared he possessed no landed property and that his wife had only gold worth Rs 4.38 lakh and a little over Rs 1 lakh in cash in 2006.

Three years later, Sreenijin and his wife K B Sony, both lawyers, declared Rs 35 lakh while filing their income tax returns. However, according to reports now, the couple, who have not declared any sources of income other than their legal profession, own property worth crores and are constructing a river-front resort in Thrissur.

“We have more evidence to prove that the former CJI’s relatives have property in Dubai, Bangalore and Tamil Nadu. The needle of suspicion naturally points to Justice Balakrishnan himself,’’ said DYFI state president and MP M B Rajesh.

Justice Krishna Iyer also demanded a probe into to find the truth about Balakrishnan's statement regarding then Madras High Court chief Justice H L Gokhale's letter that a central minister had tried to influence a judge of that court.

Justice Balakrishnan is currently serving as the Chairman of the National Human Right Commission and several activist groups have even demanded his resignation from NHRC.